Coping with Media Overload

A whole lot of bad things are happening right now. I feel the need to know what my president is doing and its impact on the world, and I also feel buried in an onslaught of bad news. Here’ what has been helping me stay afloat:

I’ve built 15 minutes into every day for contacting my elected officials and engaging in advocacy actions called for by progressive organizations that I trust.

I have identified what I will do in a specific and personal way to combat the harm being done by this presidency, and I work on that for a set time every day, too.

I avoid news rabbit holes – I read a few trusted news sites and a few liberal an a few conservative blogs. I don’t read news on facebook or let myself start clicking on the next thing and the next thing and the next thing.

I am very careful about social media. Instagram is a source of joy and reassurance for me. Facebook can go either way. Twitter mostly makes me feel bad. It’s okay for me to feel bad – probably an appropriate response, but I need to be aware of my own responses,

I keep a record; at the end of each work day I make a list of the bad news from today. It makes things feel more manageable. I don’t know that this tactic would work for everyone, but it works for me.

On the weekend, I unplug. I don’t read the news or answer any non-urgent email. I just slow down and savor my family.

It’s Valentine’s Day. What else was I going to post? Questions to get you thinking about love: What does love feel like to you? Is it difficult to love someone? Is loving yourself a concept that makes sense to you? […]